Vendée Globe

While the pontoons in the harbour in Les Sables d’Olonne and the aisles in the race village continue to attract the crowds during the school holidays, Race HQ in Paris is taking shape at the foot of the Montparnasse Tower. In less than a fortnight, the Vendée Globe nerve centre will be moving to the French capital, where an impressive sight will be greeting everyone...

The first thing you can notice is the size, as a 3300 square metre sign will be covering the western side of the Maine-Montparnasse Tower. The official race poster measuring 81 metres by 46 metres will be stuck on the front of the building between the thirtieth and fifty-fourth floor, requiring a fortnight to be put in place. This will, in fact, be the first time that the Parisian skyscraper will see itself decorated in this way. The glass covering Montparnasse railway station will also be showing the colours of the Vendée Globe, while, as they make their way out, travellers will be shown the way to Race HQ thanks to a huge 140 square metre sign at the entrance to the shopping mall.

HQ itself will be located in the Esplanade Jean Tossan, between the tower and Galeries Lafayette: a 700 square metre space divided into two adjoining buildings, which for two months will be the nerve centre of the race. The race directors will be on watch here 24 hours a day. The Press Centre will be based here allowing the editorial and audiovisual teams to work each day from five in the morning to nine in the evening. To finish, 200 places will be reserved for the general public and this area will be open every day from ten in the morning to seven in the evening from 11th November. Enthusiasts will be able to attend the daily lunchtime radio sessions with the racers – from eleven until one, as well as the weekly radio broadcast, which will be presented by French broadcaster and sailing expert, Pierre Louis Castelli each Thursday from 5.30 to 6.30 in the evening. Film shows and events will also be laid on by the CLS company concerning applications linked to satellite data.
The HQ in Paris will be opening its doors after the start and will remain open throughout the race, right up to the week preceding the arrival of the first boat home. Like the sailors, the organisers will then return to where the sixth edition of the Vendée Globe all started.

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